Kamchatkan and Northern Kurile Volcanic Activity
INFORMATION RELEASE 34-06
Friday, July 21, 2006, 10:25 KDT (22:25 UTC on July 20)

SUMMARY OF LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODES:

KAMCHATKA:
KARYMSKY : ORANGE

SHEVELUCH and BEZYMIANNY: YELLOW
KLYUCHEVSKOY, TOLBACHIK PLOSKY, KIZIMEN, AVACHINSKY, KORYAKSKY, MUTNOVSKY and GORELY: GREEN


NORTHERN KURILE:
EBEKO, CHIKURACHKI and ALAID: GREEN


KARYMSKY VOLCANO: 54œ03'N, 159œ27'E; Elevation 1,486 m.
CURRENT LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE IS ORANGE
.

Seismic data and satellite observations indicated that the eruption of the volcano with ash explosions from the summit crater continues. Ash explosions up to 6 km (or 19,700 ft.) ASL are possible. The activity of the volcano could affect low-flying aircraft in the vicinity of the volcano.

Eruptive activity at the volcano continues. According to seismic data, ash plumes rose up to 6.0 km (19,700 ft) ASL this week. A number of local shallow earthquakes was 180-400 per day. Spasmodic volcanic tremor was registering all week. According to satellite data,  ash cloud at the height 6 km (19,700 ft.) ASL was observed to the south-west from the volcano on July 20. A thermal anomaly over the volcanic crater was observed on July 15-20.

BEZYMIANNY VOLCANO: 55œ58'N, 160œ36'E; Elevation 2,895 m
CURRENT LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE IS YELLOW

According to volcanologists' experience, growth of the lava dome continues. Lava effusion is probably occurring at the lava dome. The activity of the volcano could affect low-flying aircraft in the vicinity of the volcano.

Seismic activity did not exceed background levels. A fumarolic activity of the lava dome was observed on July 17-20. A thermal anomaly was noted at the volcano on July 15, 17-19. Volcano was obscured by clouds on other days.

SHEVELUCH VOLCANO: 56œ38'N, 161œ19'E; Elevation 3,283 m, the dome elevation ~2,500 m.
CURRENT LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE IS YELLOW

Growth of the lava dome continues. A fumarolic activity of the lava dome was observed on July 17-20. A thermal anomaly over the dome was noted on July 17-18. Seismic activity did not exceed background levels last week but ash explosions up to 6 km (19,700 ft.) ASL could occur at any time.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, PLEASE CONTACT:

Nataliya Malik, KVERT, IVS FED RAS
E-mail:
ecology@kscnet.ru
Tel. (41522) 92993

Sergey Senyukov, KVERT, KB GS RAS
E-mail:
ssl@emsd.iks.ru
Tel. (41522) 59523

Tom Murray, Scientist-in-Charge, AVO
E-mail:
tlmurray@usgs.gov
Tel. 907-786-7497

The Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT) is a non-commercial cooperative program of the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO, USA), the Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (IVS) FED RAS and the Kamchatkan Branch of Geophysical Survey (KB GS) RAS (Russia). KVERT staff is available in the office from 8:30 AM till 6:00 PM (KST or KDT) and by phone during the evenings. KVERT uses daily satellite imagery, information from remote scientific observation stations, real-time seismic data for 10 volcanoes, and other information to monitor activity at Kamchatkan and Northern Kurile Volcanoes.

The official web-page of KVERT (the Institute of Volcanology and Seismology FED RAS):
http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/kvert/index.html
Archive of daily information KB GS RAS: http://emsd.iks.ru/~ssl/Volcanoes/